The Theology behind Steven Furtick’s “Audacious Faith”

Steven Furtick is the poster child of a concept called “audacious faith”. What is this new fad all about? And most important of all what theological depth does it have? Is it a scriptural concept? Pastor Bjoern E. Meinhardt took some time to review Furtick’s ‘five star’ book Sun Stand Still and found very interesting conclusions…

Recently, somebody brought the book Sun Stand Still (the title is a reference to Joshua 10) by Stephen Furtick to my attention. I looked it up on Amazon.com and saw more than 100 five-star ratings. I was curious. I wanted to read it for myself. To say the very least, I was disappointed. Furtick’s concept of “audacious faith” is lacking theological depths and orthodox Christian teachings. It is pop-theology pure. In short, it preaches what many people’s itching ears want to hear to make them feel good about themselves in a success-oriented world.

Furtick claims, a theology that does not activate one’s audacious faith is “heresy” (see page 7). Saying that all other theology is heresy is audacious in and by itself. Even more so since the entire book breathes the heresy of Semi-Pelagianism: salvation is not built on the cross of Christ, but it becomes possible through our (human) efforts and doing, which become visible and tangible in wealth, success, and recognition.

Faith understood this way is nothing more than a tool for self-serving fulfillment dreams based on a prayer of entitlement, which can be summarized as follows: ‘I believe, therefore I deserve all these (good) things. All I have to do is get – what Furtick calls – my “Page-23-vision” right, and bring it before god’ (spelled so on purpose). This, however, is not audacious faith in a great God. Rather, this is confidence in my own achievements. God is only seen as the great sugar-daddy who can’t say no

and is expected to deliver what I desire because he loves me. [Read the post in full here!].

What would you say, I wonder, if you were told that there is a teaching sweeping through evangelical churches in our day that not only has made changes to, but has also taken out the very core of the Gospel and replaced it with a fake?

Examine for yourselves the details of Steven Furtick’s teachings that are drawn from positive confession and word of faith teachings and make your own conclusions. The Bible exhorts us to “hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught”, so that we can “encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it” (Titus1:9).

Folks, be on your guard then and be ready to tell the next false teacher, ” Hey, stand still!”

I don’t think any of you guys (or the reviewer you quote) actually read the book. Granted, neither have I. But I did read a page or two of it at google books and look at the table of contents. I read enough to see it isn’t a book on soteriology but basically a book trying to get people to pray.

In fact (and you should all feel ashamed of yourselves after this) on page 9 he label Galatians 2:20 as an “audacious faith” too audacious for modern Christians whose attitude he mocks as “Exchange it for an easier, no-money-down model.”

The funny thing is you Calvinists who go around bashing everyone else’s books can’t write anything yourself. If you did ever write anything it would be nothing but yet one more unnecessary and boring book explaining the complexities of Calvinist soteriology. Your neverending search for new books to bash is clearly based on your jealously of your lack of ability to do anything other than bellyache “waaaa! he’s focusing on something other than soteriology! How dare he! Every Christian book should be on soteriology and nothing else! A book on prayer? Heresy!”

Perhaps you read the entire article from which the post quotes, since you haven’t read the book but ‘enough’ to discern what it is really about. I’ve listened to a lot of Steven furtick, including his Code Orange ‘mock’ Revival. The man is a heretic of the first order, peddling yet another version of HWP drivel.

Rey, I do understand how difficult it can be for you to all of a sudden realise something you love is being critiqued or evaluated against scripture. Be a Berean. Do your own research. Check the scriptures and see if what any of these teachers aligns with the word of God. The bible is the standard by which every teacher’s teachings are weighed….yup, even my own! That is not ‘calvinistic’ but it is biblical!

“Test all things; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” 1 Thess 5:21-22
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves….unless, of course, you fail the test? 2 cor 13:5

Like I said, I didn’t read the book, nor would I say I love it (I didn’t read it). All I’m saying is you Calvinists think that the only thing in the Bible is your crazy theory of predestination (which most people don’t see in there). All that stuff about repentance you ignore. Everything about everything you ignore. Your theory of fatalism of course renders prayer pointless. If everything is prescripted then you’ve simply been prescripted to pray for what God was going to do anyway (since he prescripted the answer too). Your views don’t allow for a Dynamic God who actually interacts with the creation — your view posits a static God who builds a computer, writes a computer program, and sits back to watch the computer simulation play out. In Calvinism, he isn’t really up there listening to our prayers — we’re just praying what the computer program makes us NPCs pray, and the computer program is giving us the prescripted answer to the prescripted prayers. U understand, Acidri, why you would be upset by a book that posits a real God who really answers real prayers, since your god is nothing but a computer program that you think runs a prescripted world.

Rey I am deeply grieved in my spirit for your sake. I am afraid that you have too many misconceptions about God and His attributes and you have confused precepts of Islamism with Calvinism. The Muslims believe in fatalism. They believe whatever you do, you cannot change fate… “Que sera sera”.
Christians believe that we have a Sovereign, Omnipotent and omni present God who ordains the end and the means. He has ordained prayer as the means of petitioning, intercession, repentance and worship. Nothing happens without Him knowing or ordaining.He draws men to prayer and to Himself. No one comes to Christ without Him drawing him. God is also gracious and merciful.

You do realize that not only Calvinists are against Furticks false teachings. There are Lutherans like Chris Roseborough who have exposed Furticks false teachings. Chris Rosebrough has a great podcast called fighting for the Faith. And I am sure many Arminians would also call Furtick a heretic. I know I’m really late in response. But I’m putting this for those who would stumble upon this blog and see your assumptions and error in belief against orthodox Christians.

A dangerous ground you walk on as the Pharisees did, acting as if they know God better than God himself. I have read this book in its entirety, been a part of the movement of God through Elevation Church since its inception and served under key leadership of this church. Your ugliness, arrogance and ignorance is a dark corner compared to the light of the Holy Spirit present in the body of Christ at Elevation Church. I can’t help but think ‘get behind me Satan’ when I read your post. I can only hope you are humble enough to see your own arrogance when you look in the mirror, God help you.

God is knowable through what he has revealed in scripture alone. Discernment is when you measure all that is presented to you as truth by the standard…the scripture. Yes, we are all called to be discerning. It’s not being arrogant…it is scriptural to be wise and prudent to test all teachings against the light of scripture. Even my teachings and writings and please Katherine if I am wrong be loving enough to tell me so and not leave me in error.

I was apart of elevation untill my eyes were opened. Explain why you choose a logo that is of mason and illuminati decent don’t be deceived. Jesus Christ and his disciples first sermons were all on repentance steven furtick does not preach on this. I know I went there for a long time he is leading people down a dangerous road. Also on behalf of holly and steven furtick we would like to welcome you to elevation excuse whose house is it. On behalf of Jesus Christ we would like to welcome you. You are not opening your ears or your eyes.

We decided to try a chruch in Gotham ME called Life church, as we saw their sight and decided to give it a try. We got there and the worship was good, but then the pastor and his wife started teaching not out of the Bible but off of this piece of paper about the sun stand still. They had these books on sale out front for 11 dollars and the whole message was based on these flaws teachings and how you can tell God what you want Him to do for you. They were all in with this teaching. Kind of reminded me of the prayer of Jabez nonsense a few years ago. Needless to say we won’t be returning to that wolves church. Keep preaching the gospel in season and out of season!

As a Pastor I commend anyone who examines teaching according to scripture. What happens more often than not scriptures are used almost like fortune cookies because they lack contextual value. What is sad about Furtick is he graduated from a good solid seminary for which I attend but emotion is a great work of the Adversary. Salvation by emotion has swept western evangelicalism big time. Is it to simple to state nothing with my hands I bring only to the cross I cling?Thank You for your time.
Solia De Gloria
Dominick

Steven Furtick, true Christians have discernment about you and your false teachings. You will answer to Jesus Christ one day for all of the people that you are deceiving with your arrogant little It’s all about me show! You make me sick to my stomach how you are perverting the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! You need to get yourself saved and preach the word. God have mercy on your soul!

Wow, I read all this spite spewed here and have to say only, “Wow”. Unlike most here it seems I did indeed read this book and I am not here to promote Elevation Church or Furtick at all, but I did not read the things mentioned in these comments into what he was saying at all. To me the book was indeed about prayer and all for the glory of God not some lame excuse to claim the right to riches because of my faith. I do believe the bible when it comes to prayer and that when we pray in God’s will it will be answered. As Furtick suggests in his book I ask God constantly for the audacious faith to tackle issues and work in this world for the glory of His Kingdom. I Pray for my sons to have audacious faith to make a difference in this world as they become men for the Glory of God. I do not expect to be rewarded with riches or otherwise here but still continue to exercise audacious faith in a God who urges me to walk on water and move mountains for his sake.